Welcome to Project: to be named at a later date... This blog will serve as home to any and all ideas of mine regarding my personal reinterpretation of League lore. Although many won't particularly care if the lore is one way or another since, I'm doing this project for entertainment and argumentative purposes.

Comment as you please, but be courteous, as you may disagree with my personal spin on the lore.

Goals and Intentions

Enhance character personalities and relationships.

Eliminate unnecessary elements that fail to enhance a character's identity.

Increase the believability, not essentially realism, of the lore and its characters.

Graves, the Bound Outlaw

Graves, the Bound Outlaw

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Some men are born into greatness. Others are born in the gutter. Malcolm Graves was born in the back of a Bilgewater tavern from a woman too early in her life, and was raised by the tavern wenches. It was an unconventional but educational childhood, one that taught him how to swindle, use a gun and when to cut and run.

Intent on building a new life for himself, Graves boarded the first ship to the mainland that he could stow away on. However, the young Bilgewater scoundrel was unprepared for the societal expectations of Valoran, forcing him to eke out an unsavory life in various city-state undergrounds, jumping the border whenever things got too hot. In a particularly high-stakes game of cards, he found himself seated opposite to Twisted Fate, the infamous gypsy gambler. On the final hand, they both flipped four aces; it was the first time either conman had met his equal. The two formed an alliance, swindling marks at the tables and brawling back-to-back in the alleys afterward. Together, they complimented each other's strengths and ran the streets ―dangerous on their own, but unstoppable as a duo.

Unfortunately, Graves made the mistake of hustling a hefty sum from Aregor Priggs, a high-ranking Zaunite official. When Priggs learned of this theft, he sought vengeance on the outlaw. Learning of Twisted Fate's all-consuming desire to control magic, he promptly offered him a trade: in exchange for serving up Graves on a silver platter, he would finally get his wish. Fate accepted the deal ―after all, both he and Graves knew the risks of their partnership, and the offer was too good to pass up. Priggs quickly acquired Graves, and had him taken to a prison where its inmates' crimes (or more precisely, their punishments) stayed off the books.

Graves spent years in captivity, at the mercy of his warders. Eventually, Priggs visited Graves in his cell, claiming that he had an offer to make. In exchange for representing Zaun in the League of Legends, Graves could instead serve his time outside of prison in the warm light of day; any misbehavior of course, would send him right back to square one. Graves was disdainful at first, but once Priggs mentioned that Twisted Fate was now in the League, Graves jumped at the offer. Arming himself with a modified shotgun from Prigg's own armory, Graves left the prison and joined the League. Although he was still on the Zaunite's leash, Graves had two targets in mind: payback and Twisted Fate.

"Leave him be. If you looked him in the eye instead of judging him, you'd understand. That man is on a mission of vengeance, and revenge is something I understand."

Malcolm Graves was born in the back of a Bilgewater tavern and left there with a bottle of spiked milk. He survived a childhood in the pirate-run slums using every dirty trick in the book. Intent on building a new life for himself, he stowed away on the first ship to the mainland he could sneak aboard. However, the grim realities of the world forced him to eke out an unsavory living in the underground of various city-states, jumping the border whenever things got too hot. At a particularly high-stakes game of cards, he found himself seated opposite Twisted Fate. They both flipped four aces on the final hand. It was the first time either conman had met his equal. The two formed an alliance, swindling marks at the tables and scrapping back-to-back in the alleys afterward. Together, they ran the streets – stacking chips, decks, and rap sheets.

Unfortunately Graves made the mistake of hustling a hefty sum from Dr. Aregor Priggs, a high-ranking Zaunite official and businessman. When Priggs discovered how he'd been played, he became obsessed with revenge. He learned about Twisted Fate's all-consuming desire to control magic and he promptly offered him a trade: serve Graves up in exchange for enrollment in a procedure which would grant his wish. Twisted Fate took the deal – both he and Graves knew the stakes of their arrangement, but the offer was too good. Once acquired, Priggs had Graves taken to a special location built to hold men whose crimes – or more precisely their punishments – were meant to stay off the books. Graves endured years of captivity at the hands of Zaun's wardens before he managed to escape. One of his fellow detainees introduced him to an eccentric gunsmith who modified a shotgun exactly to his specifications. He named it "Destiny." After he paid a visit to Priggs, Graves joined the League of Legends with two targets in his sights: Twisted Fate and payback.

“They got a saying in the locker: ain’t got nothin’ but time to plan."

― Graves, the Outlaw

Shen, the Bringer of Twilight

Version: 1.2

Shen, the Bringer of Twilight

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Once, there existed an ancient clan in Ionia dedicated to the preservation of universal harmony. Order, chaos, light, dark —there must be a balance. Such was the decree of the Kinkou Order, who took it upon themselves to enforce their beliefs. Formed centuries ago to overthrow a corrupt emperor, the Kinkou were once many, a shadow order stretched across all of Ionia. But the years have not been kind to them: they are few now, and they are all but secluded on their northwestern island home.

Born into this period was Shen, a Kinkou whose father was the master of the order. There was much to be expected out of the master's son, so Shen was taught from a young age the meaning of discipline.

One morning, Shen found an orphan boy of similar age wandering the woods. Taking him to monastery, his father adopted the boy into the order, an action that spurred other Kinkou. Named Zed, the two boys quickly bonded with each other, forming a sort of brotherly rivalry. Alas, as Shen grew older, he became more and more distanced from Zed, not only from his growing sense of responsibility, but from his father's grooming. After Zed's foray into a forbidden vault, Shen cut his last ties with him, in the hopes he would no longer cast a shadow on Zed's life.

On New Years' Eve, among the commemoration and tribute, the order gathered to celebrate Shen's coming of age, not only as a man, but a member of the Kinkou. It was to be a crowning moment in Shen's life... then a scream pierced the air. From within the crowd, a student drew his blade out from another. Then another three voices cried out, then five. Chaos erupted in the monastery. Fending off his own assailants, Shen quickly jumped to the aid of his fellow students to escort them to safety. Many students and teachers died in the escape, but Shen managed to save a sizable group. To his surprise, the turncoats did not give pursuit —he took the survivors to shore and had them board a barge boat that belonged to the order. Hopefully, they would find help on the Ionian mainland.

In the short but tiring journey, Shen was looked to as a leader. As the surviving senior member of the group, it was a responsibility he took to heart. He harbored no dreams of becoming a leader, but it was to save his people, he would carry it out. The Kinkou refugees eventually made their way to the Placidium, the capital of Ionia. Upon their arrival, Shen requested an audience with a city official; to his surprise, it was the Placidium's Captain of the Guard who came to meet him, Irelia. After listening to his story, Irelia made arrangements for the Kinkou to lodge in the Placidium. Shen was grateful for her service, and as a means of repaying her kindness, offered his blade to Ionia. No longer could the Kinkou cling to the shadows. Only through unity could the Kinkou be great again.

"I know many of you are frightened. None of us could have foreseen Zed's betrayal, but I must ask you to endure. We are few now; we cannot risk ourselves avenging our brethren. But I assure you, Zed will answer for his crimes. For the time being, we must have patience. Our ancestors faced greater threats than this: we shall survive."

There exists an ancient order originating in the Ionian Isles dedicated to the preservation of balance. Order, chaos, light, darkness—all things must exist in perfect harmony, for such is the way of the universe. This order is known as the Kinkou and it employs a triumvirate of shadow warriors to uphold its causes in the world. Shen is one of these shadow warriors, entrusted with the sacred duty of Watching the Stars - exercising judgment untainted by prejudice.

Born to a clan whose members have decorated the ranks of the Kinkou for generations, Shen was trained his entire life to become the Eye of Twilight, and thereupon to dispassionately determine what must be done in the interests of equilibrium. As his final trial to ascend to this position, he was made to attend the Takanu, a ceremony in which his father was tortured before his eyes to test his resolve. Any reaction whatsoever would have resulted in his immediate disqualification, but he never averted his gaze and never blinked, not once. As the Eye of Twilight, Shen must make decisions which would buckle the wills of ordinary men, removing all emotion from the equation. He now works with his fellows Akali and Kennen to enforce the balance of Valoran. This hallowed pursuit has unsurprisingly led the triumvirate to the Fields of Justice.

"The Eye of Twilight sees not the despair of its victims, only the elegance of equilibrium."

Veigar, the Abyssal Magister

Version: 1.6

Veigar, the Abyssal Magister

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Like most yordles, Veigar was born in the safety of the Bandle Vale, behind the Sablestone Mountains. As a child, he appeared as the typical yordle with one small exception: he was deeply curious of the outside world. He spent most of his time in the library, educating himself on the various cultures and histories of Valoran in the event that he ever left, and occasionally, he would look up to the stars. "What secrets do you hold," he often asked. "What mysteries are waiting beyond Runeterra?" The stars remained silent. When Veigar became of age, he heard news that a trading caravan would be leaving for Demacia, and was accepting volunteers. He joined immediately, falling in with a blacksmith and his rough-around-the-edges daughter, but little did Veigar suspect the danger this journey would pose, both to him and the world.

When the caravan passed through the Shurima Desert, Veigar became lost in the ruins of an ancient valley. With his initial entrance blocked, the only way out it seemed, was down. Hours passed. As Veigar wandered deeper, he felt like he was being watched. But all thought escaped him when he came across the fissure. It was wide but small, a large crack more than anything. But what truly caught his eye was the black yet vivid liquid seeping from it, pooling and somehow disappearing in an endless cycle. Veigar felt a tugging in his chest. Before he knew it, he found himself being dragged toward the crevice by some invisible force. The yordle kicked and screamed as he was yanked from the ground and ultimately, into the abyss.

Veigar reached for the rapidly shrinking world above him before recoiling in pain. Before his very eyes, his stunted legs and flaying arms grew, stretching endlessly downward in a sensation too great to be called pain. He felt like he was being ripped apart. But the darkness was the worst thing of all. He couldn't see, he couldn't hear, he couldn't even feel. There was no light, no sound... no...

Who was he again? It was at the tip of his tongue. Where was he? What was his mother's name? Nothing came to mind. Wait. He was... Veigar. A yordle. From Bandle. Yes, that was his name. It was all coming back to him, like... putting on an old shoe. But there were other things, things he didn't remember knowing. He could only faintly recall his days of stargazing, yet he knew more. Somehow, in some unexplainable way, he felt... happy. But there was a sense of yearning too. In the eye of his mind, a lush pasture laid before him. Was that it? No. The image shifted to a map, which he recognized as... Valoran, was it? Yes. That was it. A strong sense of purpose filled his mind, making clear what was once hidden. Yes, he could go to the League of Legends! There was magic there, strong magic, enough to accomplish his goal. Yes, that would do! But how would he get there? It was still dark; he couldn't see. Perhaps ―light flooded his vision. Looking up, Veigar found himself under the sky once more. Behind him, a dark whirlpool took residence in a wall of stone but quickly dissipated, leaving behind only a shallow crack. That would suffice.

"Everyone desires something... love, attention, power. So when I peered into his heart, I expected to find at least one of the three ―all I felt was hunger. I can't explain it, but... somehow, I don't think it was his."

To most, thoughts of yordles do not conjure images to be feared. The easygoing half-pint race, though fierce, is often regarded with some degree of joviality. Their high-pitched voices and naturally cute forms inspire something of a protective instinct in the larger races, or at least bring to mind images of children playing at being adults. Every now and again, however, a yordle turns so bad that, even at its small stature, it strikes terror into the hearts of others. Veigar is such a twisted yordle. As a master of the magical black arts, as well as a corrupter of cosmic energy, he is one of the most powerful sorcerers on Valoran.

As a child, Veigar was a normal yordle with one small exception - he had a deep curiosity for the world beyond Bandle City. The young yordle spent much of his time studying the rest of Valoran, and he jumped at the chance to join a business that traded with other major city-states. Unfortunately for both him and the world, a deal with Noxian traders turned into shady business and went bad; Veigar and his companions were subsequently set up to take the fall. Arrested by the authorities, he was imprisoned within the walls of Noxus for years. Such isolation is very dangerous for yordles - undoubtedly why his cruel jailers did such a thing - and Veigar was slowly driven mad.

He eventually escaped, having become a twisted version of his former self. Instead of returning to his people and Bandle City, he sought tutelage from dark wizards across the land. With his demented will focused on one task, he quickly became a dangerous and powerful wizard in his own right. Now he seeks to end all conflict on Valoran by bringing all of the city-states to their knees, regardless of their affiliation. The League of Legends is the perfect tool to help him meet his ends - for now.

"Who says evil needs to come in a fearsome-looking package?"

Zed, the Master of Shadows

Version: 1.8

Zed, the Master of Shadows

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An orphan, Zed was taken in and trained by the master of the Kinkou Order, a sect of spiritual warriors who safeguarded Ionia and its beliefs. Zed grew up and trained alongside the master's son, Shen, and though the two proved themselves to be equals, it seemed to Zed that he could never win the favor of his adoptive father.

One day, a curious Zed stalked a fellow Kinkou up the mountains to a mysterious vault, where several others were standing guard. Ambitious to know what was inside, Zed slipped past the guards and into the vault, where he found an ornate but foreboding box, clearly not of Ionian origin. Sensing the power that it held, Zed peered inside, and in an instant, shadows touched his mind, sending him reeling into black.

When Zed awoke, he found himself in the care of his father-mentor, back at the monastery. The master admitted that he had both failed both as a father and a teacher; he had condemned Zed to stoop to petty vengeance where he should have led him down the path of acceptance. Zed took his father's words to heart, but for the wrong reason. Wholly convinced then that he would never be good enough, Zed planned retribution. Once the master was convinced that he was free of any dark influence, Zed resumed his training. But the shadows did teach Zed, revealing to him techniques that had long since been hidden. He soon turned to like-minded students, those who felt under-appreciated or forgotten and swayed them to his cause.

Zed eventually looked upon his allies and saw the makings of a rebellion. The time was right. On New Years' Eve, Zed enacted his coup, killing the master in his sleep and slaughtering countless Kinkou. Novices and masters alike died that day, but some students escaped in the chaos, Shen among them, but Zed did not care ―the monastery was his.

The League of Legends soon caught wind of Zed's rise to power. Fearing that his vendetta against the Kinkou could destabilize the entire region, they sent an agent to infiltrate his ranks and neutralize the threat. Drunk off its victory, Zed's order failed to notice the Shadow Box being spirited away from the monastery, away from Ionia, directly into a League vault. When Zed realized the deception, the League offered him a choice. If his order did not join the League and thus resolve any further conflicts on the Fields of Justice, the Shadow Box would be destroyed. Zed knew that without the box, his technique would never be perfect ―and so, accepted the terms.

"They made me ―made us all― live a lie. We did not take their lives, Summoner. We took justice."

Zed is the first ninja in 200 years to unlock the ancient, forbidden ways. He defied his clan and master, casting off the balance and discipline that had shackled him all his life. Zed now offers power to those who embrace knowledge of the shadows, and slays those who cling to ignorance.

An orphan, Zed was taken in and trained by a great ninja master. Only one other student appeared to be Zed's equal - the master's son, Shen. It seemed Zed could never win the favor of the master, as every match between the rivals ended in a draw. Frustrated and jealous, he sought an advantage. The young ninja ventured into a sealed part of the clan's temple, where he found an ornate, foreboding box. Sensing the dark knowledge within, Zed knew he should not open it, but he peered inside nonetheless. In an instant, shadows touched his mind, revealing techniques that had long been hidden. Now armed with a secret edge, he challenged Shen, and this time he defeated the master's son. He expected praise and recognition in his moment of victory, but somehow the master knew Zed had used forbidden ways, and banished him.

Humiliated, the young ninja wandered for years. His bitterness turned to ambition, and he began to train others in the style of the shadows. As his power grew, so did his circle of followers, but he knew that without the box, his technique would never be perfect. One day, Zed looked at his followers and saw that his students were now an army. He led them back to the temple to claim his prize. At the gates, he was surprised to find the old master waiting, receiving Zed and his disciples as if they were welcome guests. The old man laid his sword at Zed's feet, declaring that he had failed Zed as his master. By banishing his former student, the master had doomed Zed to the shadows, instead of leading him to the balanced path. The old man implored Zed to enter the temple, destroy the box, and lead his followers to balance. The dark ninja followed the master inside. Moments later, the assembled ninjas heard Zed cry out in pain. Mysteriously, he emerged unscathed, and threw the severed head of the master at Shen's feet. Screaming in rage, Zed commanded his followers to slaughter the master's students and seize the box.

That day, the old ninja order fell. Though many students died, some escaped thanks to Shen's heroic efforts. Now the temple is a dark training ground for the Order of the Shadow. Zed rules as the Order's master, and his edict is simple: perfect one's technique, and kill all ninjas who refuse to embrace the shadows.